Belt-clamp.



No. 838,678. PATENTED DEC. 18, 1906. G. H. ALEXANDER.

BELT CLAMP. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 17. 1908 the merits thereof and also to acquire a UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BELT-CLAMP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 18, 1906.

Application filed February 17,1906. Serial No. 301,704.

Be it known that I, GEORGE H. ALEXAN- DER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Mannington, in the county of Marion and State of \Nest Virginia, have invented cer tain new and useful Improvements in Belt- Clamps, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a clamping device for the ends of a driving-belt which will be simple in construction and eflicient in operation and which will do away with the necessity of using any nuts or bolts, which will not require a wrench or similar tool to adjust, which will avoid the necessityv of belt-punches or similar tools, and which will be so arranged that the belt can be shortened in a very expeditious manner and without any tools whatever and will hold the belt in its adjusted position with a firm grip without any liability of tearing the belt.

The invention consists in certain constructions, arrangements, and combinations of parts of a belt-clamp hereinafter fully described and claimed.

For a full description of the invention and To all whom it may concern: j

knowledge of the details of construction of the means for effecting the result reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved belt-clamp, the same being shown applied to the two adjoining ends of a drivingbelt and with the parts in the relaxed position. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view of the device in applied and operative position. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of one of the clamping-bars. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of one construction of wedgebar employed. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of another construction of wedge-bar.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 indicates the adjoining ends of a driving-belt to which my invention is applied.

My improved belt-clamp comprises two l clamping-bars 2, that are preferably triangul lar in cross-section, as illustrated in Fig. l The two front faces 3 and 4 of each bar preferably extend at a slight obtuse angle to each other, as shown in the said view. The two bars 2 are preferably connected together at l tegral studs 6 on the ends of the bars.

their ends by 'means of coupling-links 5, which are apertured to receive preferably Tinhe studs are preferably slightly mashed to retain the links and bars 2 in their proper pivotal relation to each other.

In the practical application of myimproved belt-clamp the two bars have the adjoining ends 1 of the belt slipped between them and preferably in contact with the edge formed by the two front faces 3 and 4, as indicated in Fig. 1. A comparatively thin wedge 7 is then inserted between the two ends 1 of the belt, and by then spreading apart the said ends into their operative position (illustrated in Fig. the two angular bars 2 will be rocked on their pivots and their facing surfaces 3 and 4 will bind tightly against the ends of the belt and securely grip the same, so as to effectively prevent any slipping. In the preferred construction the height of the wedge 7 is such that its upper edge lies in a plane below the ends of the belt when the lat ter are adjusted in the most preferred manner.

As shown best in Fi 2, the parts in applied position are so arranged that the ends of the belt are forced into pressing engagement with each other by means of the edges of the bars 2 where the faces 3 and 4 thereof meet. Not only do these edges tend to compress the two portions of the belt into frictional engagement with each other to prevent their withdrawal, but it is to be noted that the wedge-bar 7 is itself comparatively sharp, the pointed lower edge stopping short of both of the edges mentioned of the bars 2. Hence the two parts of the belt are compressed against each other and are not separated by the wedge-bar 7. As illustrated in Fig. 5, the faces of the wedge-bar may be roughened or serrated, if desired.

I am aware that it is not broadly new with me to provide a belt-clamp consisting of two bars hinged together at their ends by coupling-links and of substantially wedge sha e in cross-section and designed to receive the ends of a driving-belt between them, nor is it broadly new with me to combine with such construction a wedge-bar adapted to be inserted between the ends of the driving-belt and force them apart against the pivoted bars; but

What I claim is- In combination with the ends of a drivingbelt, two bars 2 of substantially triangular shape in cross-section, links pivotally confaces of the pivoted bars, the lower pointed necting said bars together at their ends, the ends of the belt being received between the said pivoted bars and compressed against each other between the two edges of the said bars that are produced by the two angular inner faces of the respective bars, and a wedge tapered to a point, transversely considered, at its lower edge and interposed between the ends of the belt whereby to force such ends outwardly against the adjacent edge of said Wedge stopping short of the coinpressing edges above mentioned, as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE H. ALEXANDER. [1 s] Vitnesses: I

B. B. GiLsoN, A. D. PI-IILLIPS."- 

